Waldron, IN – Roberta’s Unique Gardens (“Roberta’s”) of Waldron, Indiana and C. Raker & Sons, Inc. (“Raker”) of Litchfield, Michigan announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Roberta’s to acquire 100% of Raker’s business. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2017. The company is expected to retain the Raker name in some form.
Roberta’s grows and sells leading edge finished perennials and annuals that are suitable for garden and home through on-line and televised shopping channels. Raker is a leading national producer and wholesaler of young plants. Roberta’s has been a customer of Raker’s since 2011.
According to Eric Wallien, CEO of Roberta’s, “We’ve always had a great working relationship with the Raker team, and this opportunity was one that we felt was in the best interest of both parties.” The agreement enables Raker to enter the 2018 growing season with a healthy, restructured balance sheet, and renewed overall energy from its young and talented management team. Adds Wallien, “For our business at Roberta’s, we’re partnering with one of our main suppliers and gaining a great foothold in the young plant sector. We couldn’t be more excited.”
Susie Raker-Zimmerman, General Manager at Rakers added, “Eric and the Roberta’s team have been a growing part of our business over the years and the timing was right. The cultural fit is great, and our team is thrilled about this new partnership.”
About Roberta’s – Roberta’s is a fourth generation family-owned grower and retail business that has been one of the leading commercial exhibitors at flower and garden shows for over 50 years in the U.S. and beyond. Their goal is to enhance gardening enjoyment by providing top quality, leading edge perennials and annuals that are suitable for garden and home with the best service imaginable. Roberta’s team searches the globe to find easy-to-grow plants that are unique in themselves or their variety making them nearly impossible to find elsewhere. Working with growers and breeders from all over the world, Roberta’s is able to bring to market hard-to-find plants and new species that will be favorites for years to come.
About C. Raker & Sons, Inc. – C. Raker & Sons, Inc. is a leading commercial wholesaler of custom-grown plugs and liners (young plants) in North America. Raker supplies more than 3,000 product varieties with containers to greenhouses and nurseries in all 50 states and internationally to Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the Bahamas. Raker is structured to meet the needs and requirements of small and medium sized growers, offering a range of service features, including: no order minimums, no hidden fees, tag service, multiple tray sizes, on-line availability, multiple delivery methods, and custom growing services. Raker’s yearly Trial Gardens provide more than nine acres of plant varieties and annually hosts over 2,000 people, many of them key customer and brokerage representatives. Raker also offers its Living Color Fundraiser program, created as a way to help nonprofits raise money and encourage more people to buy flowers.
Source: Roberta’s Unique Gardens